Dodson schools sees COVID outbreak as vaccine rollout is underway

In the midst of COVID-19 vaccine being distributed for Phase 1B of the state rollout and local reservations also moving forward with vaccinations, a local school has had to shut down due to an outbreak of the disease.

Dodson Public Schools Superintendent Gary Weitz said that Tuesday, the same day that 35 school staff members received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, about a dozen cases of COVID-19 related to the school district were reported.

That number changes almost by the minute, he added, and has grown.

"I"m not sure of the official number," Weitz said this morning. "We're still gathering data."

He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials working on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation declared the number of cases an outbreak and the Dodson district shut down the schools until further notice while testing and contract tracing is going on.

CDC wanted to send strike teams and has been doing the testing, Weitz said.

He said the testing has been going very well, with tests conducted on people connected to the schools as well as Dodson community members and members of other related communities including on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

That testing was continuing today from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., he said.

Many other schools in the region - and in the state - have had to shut down in-class learning during the school year due to outbreaks of the disease. Many districts are moving to more in-class learning this month as vaccinations proceed.

Weitz said he has called for an emergency school board meeting to be held by Zoom Saturday after the district, CDC, Indian Health Services and Phillips County Health Department can continue to gather and assess data.

After that, the district can make an announcement on what it will do, he said.

"As soon as we can, we will reopen, but we want to keep health and safety first," he said.

Outbreak occurs in midst of dropping numbers, vaccination clinics

The outbreak was reported as numbers of new cases in the region generally have been dropping.

Blaine County Wednesday evening reported three new cases, but reported eight new cases Tuesday - the day the outbreak at Dodson schools was reported.

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation - the numbers from which are reported either with the Phillips or Blaine county numbers - reported two new cases Tuesday and one new case Wednesday.

The reservation also announced COVID-19 testing clinics being held today.

Phillips County Health Department reported three new confirmed cases Wednesday and 13 new cases Tuesday.

Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, the numbers from which also are included in Chotueau or Hill county numbers, reported no new cases Wednesday or Tuesday.

The outbreak - Weitz said this was the first cases related to the Dodson schools confirmed - happened as Phase 1B of the state rollout of vaccinations has started and and new clinics and vaccination events are being set up.

Phase 1A of the rollout was aimed at front-line health care workers and health care workers with a high chance of being exposed to the virus, and, last week, Hill County held a vaccination clinic for people including school, Montana State University-Northern and day care employees.

Clinics underway

And the vaccination clinics are ongoing, including more vaccine being available for some events than originally expected.

A vaccination clinic was underway today at the new location of Merril Lundman Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic for military veterans, and Northern Montana Health Care, Bullhook Community Health Center and Hill County Health Department were holding a clinic today for people ages 70 and older under the Phase 1B of the state schedule.

Hill County Health Department started taking names last week for today's Phase 1B clinic, and it filled in less than two hours.

The department said it is taking people's names to put on a list for future clinics, and eligible people can call 400-2369 to get on the list.

The people elegible are people age 70 and older, Native Americans and other people of color who may be at elevated risk for COVID-19 complications, and people people 16-69 with high-risk medical conditions including:

• Cancer

• Chronic kidney disease

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD

• Down Syndrome

• Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies

• Immunocompromised state - weakened immune system - from solid organ transplant

• Severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)

• Sickle cell disease

• Types 1 and 2 diabetes

• On a case-by-case basis, medical providers may include individuals with other conditions that place them at elevated risk for COVID-19 related complications.

Rocky Boy Health Center is in Phase 3 of their vaccination distribution. This includes residents of Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation ages 18 plus with high-risk medical conditions. The person must have two or more high-risk medical conditions or pregnancy and a chart at Rocky Boy Health Center with a visit in the last year. 

It also includes Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Officers, people working in Rocky Boy Schools, Headstart employees and Box Elder School teachers and teacher assistants.

Phase 2 elderly people may still call and schedule their vaccine if they have not received it yet. 

Blaine County Health Department also has been taking names for a list of people to vaccinate in upcoming clinics.